AliyahRosen

SocialStudiesReflection
Quarter3,2016
Mylearningplanforsocialstudieswaskindofundefinedforthefirstbitofthesemester.
IknewIwouldearncreditbecauseofmyinternshipattheStatehouse,IjustwasntsurehowI
woulddocumentit.ButasIstartedmyinternshipitbecameclearthatthenotesItookin
committeewouldbemydocumentation,alsoblogpostsIdowhileattheStatehouse.

IaminterningwiththelobbyfirmZatz&Renfrew.VirginiaRenfrewisthewomanIam
workingwith,andherworkpartnerGailZatzworksoutinLosAngeles.Thatwasallthe
informationIhadknownwhenIstartedmyinternship.MyfirstdayIwasexcitedandnervous.I
wasmostlynervousthatIwouldntbeanygoodatwhateveritwasthatIwasdoing,orI
wouldntunderstand.Iwasreallyshyatfirst,too.IwasntcompletelysurehowIshouldact.
WhenIgotthereVirginiaexplainedtomewhatIwouldbedoing,whichisgoingaroundto
committeemeetingsandtakingnotesonwhathappens.Shealsointroducedmetotwoother
womenwhoweresittingwithher.OneisnamedAuburnWatersongwhoworksforTheVermont
NetworkofSexualandDomesticViolencepreventionandtheotherisnamedCaraCooksonwho
isanattorneyfortheCenterforCrimeVictimServices.Theybothworkfulltimeatthe
Statehouse,andtheirorganizationsareclientsofVirginias.EleaBeckerLowe,aformerU32
studentisalsoworkingwithVirginia.

IquicklyfellintoarhythmofbeingattheStatehouse,everymorningIamthereImeet
Virginia,Auburn,andCaraupinthecafeteriaandfindoutwhatIwillbedoingthatday.Itsa
completelydifferentenvironmentthanschoolbecauseitfeelsmoreindependent.Theresmore
responsibilityonmeandIlikeitthatway.IgotocommitteeandItakenotes,andwhenIm
doneImeetbackwithVirginia.ItwasstrangetogetusedtobecauseatschoolImsousedto
everyoneknowingImastudentandtheirbeingthecleardividebetweenwhoisateacherand
whoisnt.ButeveryoneusuallythinksImincollegeorwithsomeorganizationandthereisnt
thecheckingintomakesureIknowwhatImdoingoranythingthatstudentsareusedto.Being
inPilotfirstsemesterhadkindofpreppedmeforthat,butnotasfullyasIamexperiencingatthe
Statehouse.Ilovebeingseenasanadultandbeingtakenseriouslyandtreatedlikeanadult.

Ivelearnedsomuchaboutcurrentbillsandthelegislativeprocessaswell.Ifeellikea
goldmemberofsomesecretclubforbeingabletositinoncommitteemeetingsandhearall
aboutbillsandlawsbeingpassedthatotherpeopledont.Especiallysincemostoftheclient's
VirginiahasareinvolvedinalotofbillsIfindinteresting.Forexamplethemarijuana
legalizationbillIvelearnedalotabout,IveheardalotaboutH.818whichisthestalking
statuteandCaraandAuburnworkedalotonthatbill.WhilesittingincommitteeIvebeenable

toheardraftsofthebillaswellasseehowthelegislatorsfeelaboutitwhileitspassingthrough
committee.

IthinkoneofthebestthingsIrealizedwithinthefirstweekorsothatIhadntbeforewas
howmuchconsiderationittakesfortryingtopassabill.Iknowitseemslikeasimplethingto
thinkabout,butitsnotreally.WhenIwashearingthemarijuanabillbeingdraftedintheSenate
FinancecommitteeIgottohearlotsofpeoplefromstatewideorganizationstestifyabouthowit
wouldaffectthemofmarijuanawouldbelegalized.FromthePoliceForceandeducatorsand
peoplefromtheACLUofVermont,Iwasabletohearabouthowtheyfelt.Itgivesalotof
insightonhowcommitteemembersfeelaboutthebillbecauseofthewaytheyreacttoit.That
alsogivestothequestionofwillthebillpassthroughthecommittee.Whentheresan
amendmentoranotherdraftofthebillthatthecommitteegoesover,literallyonewordcan
changethemeaningofasection.Itcanbetediousbutforthemostpartitsreallyinterestingto
hearthemarkupsofthebillsorlistentowhatlanguagewaschangedforanamendment.

IabsolutelylovebeingattheStatehouse.ItsanenvironmentthatIfeelverycomfortable
in,andI(forthemostpart)understandwhatishappening.Ithinkthatthishasbeenthefirst
academicexperienceIveeverhadwhereIhavethought,Yes!Igetthis,Icandothis,Ilike
this,Iunderstandthis.ItsnotjustthefactthatImwatchingfuturelawsbepassedbutIamalso
workingwithagreatteamofpeople.Virginia,Auburn,Cara,andEleaareallsoniceandanswer
anyquestionsIhave.ThisisalsothefirsttimeeverthatIhavewantedasemestertopassby
moreslowly.

IthinkIhaveearnedanAformysocialstudiescredit.Imnotjustlearningabout
politics,butImexperiencingitfirsthand.ItsonlybeenhalfofthesemesterbutIthinkIhave
learnedmoreaboutlegislationthanIwouldinasemester.FornextquarterIwilldothesame
thingasIhavedonethisquarteruntilthesessionends.IfthesessionendsearlyIwilleithersee
ifthereisanyworkIcandoforVirginia,orthinkofanotherministudytodoatschool.